Psychological Assessment

Psychological Assessment is an evaluation that involves testing of a person’s mood and personality (a psychological assessment) and/or of how well a person’s brain is working when it performs certain functions, such as remembering or solving problems (a neuropsychological assessment). The type of assessment and therefore the types of tests given as part of the assessment depend upon the questions you and your health care professional have.

Assessments may be used to obtain several types of information. The purpose may range from determining an individual’s talents, to identifying how an injury has affected thinking skills, to determining how a person’s mood is impacting his or her daily life. An assessment provides information to affected individuals, as well as physicians, therapists, teachers, and parents to further inform appropriate lifestyle changes, interventions, and key issues in medical or mental health treatment.

What is a Psychological Assessment?A psychological assessment is used to obtain information about a person’s mood (such as depression or anxiety), behaviors (such as anger), or personality style (such as defensiveness). Reasons for a psychological assessment may include, among others:

1) To identify or diagnose inappropriate expressions of emotions or moods (for example, persistent sadness, laughing during serious situations),2) To identify or diagnose inappropriate or unmanageable behavior (such as consistent defiance, outbursts of anger or violence),3) To identify personality styles or ways of thinking that interfere with functioning (for example, thinking others are “out to get you” or social isolation), and/or4) To identify personality strengths and weaknesses that may be used to guide therapy.